An Offbeat Pop-Up Shop Lands at the Pier

The LA Craft Experience heads west for a day by the beach.

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A two-day craft-nice pop-up will appear at the Pier in Santa Monica on Saturday, Dec. 15 and Sunday, Dec. 16.

Summertime meets wintertime far too infrequently, so when a terrific staple of the warmer months pops up around Christmas, if only for a brief moment, it is worth making note. And when it lands in a new place? Two notes should be made.

Note one: The LA Craft Experience is the every-so-often handmade market that takes over a good chunk of Chinatown's historic plaza each summer. Whether it is held in conjunction with Chinatown Summer Nights or on its own, it's the spot to find tees, jewelry, letterpress goods, and more unique items.

And now that warmer event is unfurling, at least a little at Santa Monica Pier. That's note two, actually, the new location. The Craft Experience is a Chinatown fixture, so call its adventure west, which it is dubbing "Gifted," a bit of a road trip. Fans will still be able to shop for the same quality goods, goods that can definitely be considered for the person on your list who likes things that they haven't seen a million times before.

The dates are Saturday, Dec. 15 and Sunday, Dec. 16. The exact spot is by Pier Burger, but you're bound to see it, what with the Yarnover Truck and the Make + Take Workshop and the DIY wrapping station.

In short, if you need to get the holiday buying done, but aren't looking forward to doing it in the usual ways, an hour at the Pier, chatting with craftspeople and creative types, may be the thing you've been needing. Plus? Free admission. That works well in summertime *and* wintertime.